Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Every image needs some degree of post-processing; even if minimal or simply cropping.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

This seems to be a very popular recurring topic. I think it's inaccurate to describe straight out of camera as "reality". The camera is interpreting the image taken based on programming algorithms and providing it's best approximation of the scene. Sometimes it's very good and other times it's not. Your choice is whether you want to be in control of the final output, or allow the camera to make those choices for you.

JDG3

No, not every shot. However, I will adjust in post when I have a wonderfully composed shot of a great subject, at the right time of the day etc. BUT there is one or two little details that could be adjusted in post which would make it a REALLY GREAT shot.

Many people believe that "photoshopping" photos always means adding and subtracting things to a photo that are not real. But most of the time, it is as simple as changing the white balance or contrast slightly to achieve a better or different look.

starlifter Loc: Towson, MD

The only "PP" I usually do is cropping. I'm satisfied with what the camera does color wise etc. On rare occasions I might play with the exposure. My wife likes to see me once in a while too. I may also be in the minority since I only shot jpg. By the way I use a d810 and two Tamron 2.8 G2 lens'.

khorinek

I prefer my photos to look as I see my subjects. However, I do a fair amount of editing. I sharpen every photo, (batch process), I crop some photos, I may darken and/or lighten some areas or the entire photos, etc. I take from 1,000 to 1,500 photos a week, so post editing time is limited. In the end, I prefer my photos to look as I saw my subjects, as much as possible.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

To reply to your question, I do. But that's like asking if I develop my film. One has to process one's images to produce a photograph. I do pretty much limit my processes in Photoshop to those things I do when processing film and making prints.
--Bob

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Basically - yes. Sometimes, I take pictures just for documentation. If I'm repairing or refurbishing, I'll take pictures just to have a record of before and after. Otherwise, I shoot in raw and process everything. That's part of the fun.

BebuLamar

I use Adobe ACR with every digital shot I made. I make adjustment in color and brightness with every print I made in the darkroom. I do that trying to make my pictures to look like what I saw. Of course, they only get close they never look the same as real life.

bleirer

Besides, the world is not flat and made out of tiny colored dots. I dont mean this in a joking way. When we view the real scene our brain is actively constructing what we experience.

For example when one part of what we see is 4 times brighter than another part, we only perceive it as twice as bright. So our dynamic range is much greater but also different than a cameras, because a camera records 4 times brighter as 4 times brighter. We don't usually notice that our photo equipment is automatically reigning in the brightness so the brightness looks natural to us, but we use our eyes to adjust further in processing to make sure the camera/computer got it right.

Same with color. Our eyes also record only red or green or blue (or monochrome if it is dark) just like a camera, but given the same intensity of light, our eyes see green light as stronger than blue or red, while a camera record the same intensity (to compensate the camera records twice as many green pixels), but we don't usually notice because the camera/computer reconstructs the colors to make it look right to us. We help get it right by using our own eyes to adjust further in processing.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Because the photo's that come straight out of your camera rarely look exactly like what your eye's actually saw.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Yes, but personally I would rather see well done post processing than mediocre SOOC images. Most people who understand how to use their PP software and have a good eye don't end up with overcooked unreality. If done right you end up with an image that more closely represents what you saw in your minds eye. And don't forget that each and every one of your photographs SOOC have already been post processed internally using a small subset of very limited PP tools. You are basically leaving PP up to that small number of tools and use the same settings for every jpeg you shoot. Those of us who use PP extensively want better.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I agree but sometimes what you saw and what you got don't match. Maybe the horizon is tipped a tad or you didn't notice the disembodied arm at the edge of your image. Maybe your favorite grandchild had a mat burn on his face from wrestling. All are reasons to make adjustments to suit your vision.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

BebuLamar

I think myopic is close. I am thinking of naive.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Sometimes, it seems a few images can say more than a 1000 reply posts ...

As case in point, consider this consolidated group of images from two different photographers: UHH visit to Fort De Soto Park, Florida

As you view and consider the individual images and the consolidated presentation, consider the following in the context of the OP's question about 'does everyone photoshop?':

Beyond the B&W conversions, which have the obvious post processing, any?
Which would have been 'better' by leaving in the distracting phone lines across the open blue sky?
Which show the adjustment to the white balance to capture the golden morning Florida sunlight?
Which would have been 'better' leaving the image in the native 3:2 aspect ratio?
Which image was captured in RAW or were they all captured in JPEG?
What camera model was used for each image?
What lens was used for each image?
What software was used for each image?
Which image(s) came from a cropped sensor camera or did they all come from full frame?
Are any of these questions about equipment and processing even relevant to the presentation?